The holiday season always brings in its fair share of delicious temptations. If one Isn’t careful, it’s easy to overindulge in the diet department, especially with all the amazing food and desserts around.

Even the ones, who usually maintain a healthy weight, tend to gain about a pound between thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. While all of us may not gain weight over the holidays, we do tend to have a larger food intake. We also tend to exercise less during the season due to all the exciting activities like holiday shopping, partying and festive traditions.

Studies have shown that those who are overweight can put on five or more pounds during the festive season

But how is it possible to enjoy the holidays without gaining weight? Well as it turns out, It’s fairly simple with a little planning.

The most important thing is to start your day right. Studies show that people, who skip breakfast, tend to eat poorly throughout the day.

The best breakfast consists of some lean protein and fiber. Both these healthy ingredients help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you feeling satisfied until at least mid-morning, when you can have your first snack.

Don’t withhold to save your appetite for a big, multi-course meal. Skipping meals and snacks so your holiday dinner is a strategy that always ends up backfiring.

You’ll be better off eating a healthy breakfast and lunch, as well as a protein and fiber-rich mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, so you won’t be famished.

This way when it’s dinner time, you’ll find that taking small portions of your favorite holiday dishes and getting to try everything on the menu is far more satisfying than overdoing it.

What’s a holiday meal without some dessert?

Enjoying a dessert on a special occasion can be really satisfying. Go for a smaller portion and savor it slowly. And keep the “Three-bite rule” in mind: Take three bites and then put the dessert aside for a few minutes. You’ll find that you are satisfied with just that amount of your dessert. Once the holiday season is over, you can resume your regular healthy eating habits and make the effort to get back to your daily fitness routine.

(Simon Gottfried, Mazola Middle East and North Africa General Manager)